Electric lantern



Dec. 3, 1929. w, E, JACKSON 1,737,968

ELECTRC LANTERN Filed April 23. 1928 Patented Dec. 3, 1,929

winmx n. JAoxsoN,

ynmc'rnrc Application led April 83,

The present invention relates to lanterns, and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved electric hand lantern which while being especially well adapted for use by car inspectors, repairmen, car

checkers and the like, will be found susceptible of general use where a portable light is found desirable.

further object of the invention is to provide an electric hand lantern embodying novel eatures of construction whereby replacements may be readily and easily made. A further object of the invention is to provide an electric hand lantern having a casing or housing of novel construction or enclosing the battery and lamp, and a frame oi novel construction embodying hand grip ing portions allowing for ready and easy andling of the lantern and a stand whereby the lantern may be rested upon a surfacein its y upright position.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an electric hand lantern embodyinga novel circuit controlling means which will be ecient in operation and of such construction as to permit of the housing being constructed ci' any desired material and not necessarily ci metal to iiorm a conductor between the battery and lamp.

@ther objects and advantages of the inyention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part ot this specification and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved lantern.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken ysubstantially on the line 9:-2 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

. Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section thru the casing or housing or receiving the storage battery cell, and in which housing the lamp is mounted.

i Figure 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows. .v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section illustrating the construction lof the switch operating means for manually con- PATENT carica 1928. Serial No. 273,802.

whereinx similar referencey characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views, the improved electric hand lantern has been shown as embodying a cylindrical shaped casing or housin 'A and a supporting :trame or stand B for a owing ready and easy handling of the casing A. 4 .Referring irst to the specic and novel construction o the casing or housing A, the same embodies a tubular body portion 10 being open at both ends as clearly shown in' Figure 3. Hingedl mounted as at 11 at the upper side and at t e rear end of the tubular body portion 10, is a cover or lid 12 actin to close the rear end ci the tubular body. lngedly connected to the lower portion of the lid 12 is a latch 13 for engaging a lug 11i carried by the body portion 10 for retaining the lid in a closed position over the rear end ci the tubu lar body. Hingedly connected at the upper portion" and at the forward end ci the body portion l() as at 15, is a suitable ring 16 forl mounting of a suitable lens 17 which forms a closure for the forward end oi the tubular body portion. Hingedly connected to the lower side of the body portion is a suitable latch 18 for engaging a lug 19 projecting from the ring 15 whereby the ring and lens will be held in a closed position over the forward end o the tubular body. As will be observed in Figure 3, the lid 12 and ring 15 lit over the ends of .the tubular bod portion and thus serve to exclude dust an moisture from the housing.

Mounted within the tubular body portion 10 and arranged adjacent the forward end of the tubular body is a disc of insulating material 20 which may be secured in position as by tact ring.

` per.

rovided with bendable tongues 33 which pro- 4 means of L-shaped mounting brackets 21 secured to the tubular body as by means of bolts or other suitable fastening elements 22. This partition forming disc is of a diameter equal to the internal diameter of the tubular body portion and dividesl the body portlon into a rear or cell compartment 23 and a shallow front or 1am compartment. 24. {Lrranged at the axia center of the msulatmg disc 20 and arranged respectively at the front 4and rear sides of the disc is a p alr of metallic contact discs 25 and 26 each of which is provided with a air of diametrically arran ed ton es 27 which are intended to extend t ru the insulatin disc and be clamped about `the peripheral e ge of the companion contact disc as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4 so that the ton ues aside 'from roviding a mounting means or the contact disc also form electrical connections between the front and rear discs. The front contact disc 25 is formed with a rojection as shown in Figure 7 which is bent ackwardly in spaced relation over the faceA of the disc proper to provide a yieldable contact finger 28." Aside from the provision of the contact finger 28 on the front contact disc 25, the discs 25 and 26 are of identical'outline and it is preferred that the contact member 25 be formed of a resilient material to form a yieldable iin er 28. Arranged concentric to and spaced om the contact discs 25 and 26, and arranged respectively at the front and rear sides of the insulating disc 20, is a pair of contact rings 30 and 32 which may be formed from sheet metal such asV brass or cop- These contact rings 30 and 32 are also ject thru the insulating disc and are clamped about the peripheral edges of the companion ring for securmg the rings in position at the front and rear sides of the insulating disc and also forming an electrical connection between the contact rings. Projecting forwardly from the u per portion of the front contact ring 30 an oiset to one side 0f the vertical center of the tubular body portion 10 is an arcuate-shaped contact plate 34 which preferably forms an integral part of the con- The rear or larger compartment 23 is intended tofreceive a standard lantern battery 35 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, and which batteries are provided 4with the terminals 36 and 37 also shownin dotted lines in Figure 4. When the battery is positioned in yside with a suitable spring -12 which yieldably engages the rear end of .the battery for normally urging the battery terminals 36 and L mames 37v into electrical contact with the contacts 26 and 32 respectively. a

Slidabl and removably fitting in the forward en of the tubular body portion 10 is a reflector 38 having a flange 39 for attachlment internally of the tubular body portion as by means of bolts or other vfastenin elements 40. 4The axial center of the retlgector is shaped to provide a socket portion 41 which pro'ects rearwardly and is internally threaded or receiving the threaded base of lan electric lam 42 of the single contact type. With lamps-o the single contact type, the metal shell of the base .serves as one terminal for the lamp while the second conductor for .the lamp is in the form of a pro'ection exA hingedly connected to a bracket 47 carried by the rear side of the metal reflector 38 above the socket, 41. As will be observed, the switch arm 44 is arranged so that the cross head 45 has movement toward and away from the forward edge of the arcuate contact plate 34 and that the upper end of the cross head pro- -ects above the contact plate for engagement y a section of the switch operating means generally designated by the numeral 48.

The switch operating means is of the sliding type and embodies a slidel strip 50 which extends lon itudinally at the inner side of the tubular ody portion 10 and has its forward portion slidably extending thru an opening 50 provided 1n the peri heral portion of the insulating disc 20. T e forward end of the slide strip 50 which projects into the forward compartment 24 is.p rov1ded with an inwardly oifset bifurcated head 51 forming a pair of spaced arms between which the cross head of the switch arm extends whereby upon longitudinal movement of the .slide stri the switch arm will be moved forward an rearward in the casinglabout its pivotal connectionr with the bracket 47.

Arranged at the outer side of thev body portion 10 is a longitudinally movable thumb piece 52 which 1s connected with the slide st'rip 50 by means of suitable fastening elements 53 the shank portionsof which have sliding movement in guide slots 54. By observing Figure 5 it will be seen that the slide strip has sliding movement along the inner surface of the tubular body portion v10 and that sliding movement of the thumb piece 52 memes operating means 'is moved rearwardly thaty the switch arm will be drawn into enga ement with the contact plate for completing a circuit to the lamp 42. It may'here be noted that by so forming the reflector 38 of metal that the tubular body portion 10 need not necessarily be made of metal since the housin forms no art of the electrical connection etween the attery and lamp. It

will also be noted that when the switch arm 44 is out of engagement with the contact late 34 that no electrical connection is made etween the contact rings 30 and 32 and the casing and thus there is little likelihood of the batterybecoming short circuited.

Referring now to the supporting frame or stand B for horizontal mounti of the cylindrical housing A, the same em odies `a yoke 60 comprising a pair of upwardly converging side arms 61 which extend above and below the casing A and are connected at their upper ends by a'head piece 62 which extends transversely of and in spaced relation above the cylindrical casing. The lower p ends of the arms 61 are connected to a base ring 63. The cylindrical casin A is secured between the side arms 61 as pby soldering, welding or the like at the point 64 with' the major portion of the casing projecting rearwardly of the yoke as clearly shown in Figure 1. Secured at their up er ends .to the lower side of the cylindrica casing A and at the longitudinal center thereof, is a air of upwardly converging brace legs aving their lower ends secured to the base ring 63 at points substantially at a right angle to the points of attachment of the lower ends of the yoke arms 6l. These legs 65' are secured to the casing A at points forwardly and rearwardly of the yoke 60-and effectively brace the `casing against tiltin or rocking about its connections 64 with t e yoke.

Connected at one end to the central portion of the cross piece 62 and extending rearwardly therefrom with its rear end turned downwardly and secured to the rear end of the tubular bodly portion 10, is a hand rip 66 which may e grasped for handling t e lantern so as to dlrect the light rays from the lamp 42 in any desired direction. Pivotally connected to the ends of the cross piece 62 is a bail handle 67 which may be employed for carrying the lantern or for hanging the lantern cna projection. oAs will be observed in Figure 1, the bail handle 67 may be swung downwardly over either end of the cylindrical casing into an out'of the way position to allow ready gras ing of the grip 66. A diagonal brace mem er 68 connects the central portion of the head piece 62 with the forward end of the tubular bod y portion 10 for further rigid mounting of the ousing in the supportmg frame: By so having the major portion of the cylindrical casing project rearwardly from the yoke 60, such permits of the hand grip 66 being of suicient length to enable a person to readily place all of the fingers about the hand grip. Y

From the foregom description it will be alpparent that a nov and improved t of e eetric hand lantern has been provideli,e

bod ing novel features of construction for ren ering the-lantern extremely rigid in eonstruction and easily handled for different` purposes, and'one embodying a novel circuit controlling means whereby possibility of short circuitin is reducedto a minimum.

Changes in etail ma bemade to the form of invention herein s own and described,

' without departingfrom the s irit of the invention or the scope of the fo owing claims.

I claim:

1.l An'electric hand lantern of thev class described comprising a frame embodyln g1 a yoke portion including rigidly connected si e arms and a head piece, a ase ring connecting Athe lower ends of the side arms, a hollow cylindrlcal casing lixedly mounted horizontally between and with respect to the side arms and pro'ecti'ng forwardly and rearwardly thereof, race legs connecting the casing forward- 1y and rearwardly of the side arms with the base ring, illuminating means in the casin a bail prvotally connected to the upper en of said side arms, and a hand gri connected 2. An eiictric hand lantern comprising aa supporting stand embodying side arms and a hea piece connecting the u per ends of the arms, a hollow cyhndric mounted horizontally intermediate its ends between the side arms in s aced relation beneath the head piece, a bai handle connected with the upper ends of said arms, a hand grip connected at its forward end .to thev central portion of said head piece and projecting rearwardl therefrom with its rear end secured to t e rear portion of said casing, and illuminating means in the casing.

3. In an electric lantern, a tubular casing, a closure for the rear end of the casing, an insulating `disc mounted intermediate the ends of the casing, contacts mounted in spaced relation on the disc and having portions arranged at each face of the disc, said contactortions at the rear of the disc to be engaged los .s

easing ixedly v the casing and having asocket portion, an electric lamp litting in the socket portion in electrical contact therewith and having its opposite terminal engaging one of said con- Aclosure for the-rear end of the casing, a lens closing the forward end of the casing, an insulating disc mounted in the casing adjacent the forward end thereof,'a pair of contacts mounted in spaced relation on the insulating disc and having portions arranged forwardly and rearwardly of the'disc, said contact porthe terminals of a storage cell insertab e thru the rear end of the tubular casing, a metallic reflector mounted in the tubular casing forwardly of the insulatin disc `and havin a socket portion, a lamp tting in the soc et portion in electrical connection therewith and having its opposite terminal engaging one of said contacts, a switch arm pivotally and elecinsulating disc and havillidgl a metallic socket ortion arranged forwa y of said contact ger, an electric lamp threaded in the socket portion with its central contact enga 'ng the contact finger, a switch arm pivotaIlly supported at the rear side of the refiector in electrical 'connection with said socket, and oper' .ating means for the switch arm embodying a slide strip having a bifurcated head providing spacedarms embracing opposite sides of the switch arm lfor swinging movement of the free end of the arm into and out of engagement vwith said contact plate.

y WILLIAM E. JACKSON.

Vtion at the rear of the disc to beengaged by trically connected to the rear side of the metallic reiector for movement into engagement with the companion contact, and operating means for the switch arm embodying a 3o switch arm.

5. `In an electric lantern, a tubular casing -slide strip' detachably associated with the for receiving a storage cell, an insulating disc mounted in the casing, inner and outer contacts mounted in spaced relation on the ins ulating disc and having portions arranged atv each face of the disc, said inner contact at -the face side of the dischaving a yieldable contact fin r and said outer contact at the face side o the disc having a contact plate,

a metallic reflector mounted forwardly of the disc and having a socket portion, an electric v lamp fitting in the socket portion in electrical connection therewith and having its op osite terminal engageable with said contact nger, a switch arm pivotally and electrically connected to the reiiector, and operating means for the switch arm for moving the same into 'engagement with said contact plate for com-l pleting a circuit between the storage cell and lamp.

6. In an electric lantern, a tubular casing,` an insulating disc mounted in the casing, contact discs arranged 'at each side of the insulating disc at the axialcenter thereof and each having fingers extending thru the insulating disc for enga ement with the companion contact disc, sai contact disc at the face side of the insulating disc having a contact finger, a

pair of contact rings arranged oneat each face of the insulating disc and each having tongues extending thru the insulating disc l for engagement with the companion contact ring, said contact ring at the face side of the insulating disc-being provided witlra contact plate, a reflector mounted 4forwardly ofthe 

